The Cloacal Microbiome Changes with the Breeding Season in a Wild Bird.

ABSTRACT: The symbiotic microbial communities, or "microbiomes," that reside on animals are dynamic, and can be affected by the behavior and physiology of the host. These communities provide many critical beneficial functions for their hosts, but they can also include potential pathogens. In birds, bacteria residing in the cloaca form a complex community, including both gut and sexually-transmitted bacteria. Transmission of cloacal bacteria among individuals is likely during the breeding season, when there is direct cloacal contact between individuals. In addition, the major energetic investment in reproduction can draw resources away from immune responses that might otherwise prevent the successful establishment of microbes. We assessed dynamic variation in the cloacal microbiome of free-living ruf

SUBMITTER: Escallon C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7671126 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature